All Good Things
by 3 Star Jeneral
Summary: He knows he should have said something months ago. But there was always something to do, some catastrophe that only he could solve, always "I'll do it tomorrow". But tomorrow never came.


He's worried about her. She's distracted and distant and it's just not like her. Shoving the scribbled note into his pants pocket, he walks down the steps from his office and down corridor C-2 towards the elevators. It's after midnight so he figures he will leave the scribbled words on her desk and she can come see him tomorrow. No big deal. He rounds the corner and is startled to see her, chin resting on her hand, blankly staring at her computer screen, aimlessly punching the same key over and over. She seems completely lost in thought, but not the good kind. He can see the worry in her eyes, the crease on her brow. He comes to an abrupt stop.

"Carter!?", he says, almost questioningly.

"Sir", she replies, clearly not expecting visitors to her quiet sanctuary.

"I never thought I'd hear myself utter these words", he begins and she sits up slightly straighter. " I need that report."

Clearly these weren't the words she was expecting to hear either.

"Right, um, ah, I just need to type up my notes", she says awkwardly, "I'll have it for you first thing tomorrow "

He knows the time, but raises his wrist for effect. "It IS tomorrow "

"Oh" she says, clearly lost for any further explanation.

"I'm joking, he says , shaking his head, "I don't need the report. "

"Well then why..."

"Because something's going on with you."

She looks at her desk, averting his gaze. He notices, but continues regardless.

"You haven't tried to confuse me with scientific babble for the last few days, and that's a red flag for me". In truth, he's missed talking to her, even if he didn't understand 75% of what she said most days.

She blows out a breath, looks to her right and sighs. "Pete gave me this", she says, and holds out a small black velvet box.

With every ounce of his being, he wills it to be a crappy set of costume jewelery earrings, the cop seems the type to gussy up cheap shit to make himself look better, but he knows by her expression exactly what's inside.

He carefully opens the box, and there it is. A gold band with a large gaudy teardrop diamond surrounded by more tiny gems. His mind races. Firstly, who buys a teardrop when they're proposing? Who wants to start off with a tear? Secondly, Carter isn't into this flashy shit. She needs a small solitaire set into white gold or platinum. Maybe even a piece of something from another planet. Like the glistening piece of Erithrocite, he picked out of the waters on '439 last year. Something as unique as she is ... anyway, It's like this asshat doesn't even know her.

"People normally wear these on their fingers", he says, trying and probably failing to sound casual.

"I haven't said yes yet"

He's surprised at her statement. "And yet, you haven't said no..." He clicks the box closed and the sound echoes in her quiet lab. BOOM. He searches her face and it's like a gate has been opened and all of her worries, her fears, spill out into the room. "I told him I needed to think about it."

"And?" He says, placing the box back on her desk.

"That was 2 weeks ago"

"Ah" is all he can manage. He desperately wants to make his escape. The cop proposed. He feels a little nauseous.

"All these years, I've been concentrating on work, I just assumed one day I'd ..."

"Have a life ?" He finishes

"Yeah", she says quietly, and looks at him.

"Yeah ", he replies, but the life he wants is with her.

"And now it comes down to it, I don't know. I mean, every time we go through the gate we risk not coming back. Is it fair to put somebody else through that?"

"Pete is a cop", he replies. " I think he could handle it."

"What about kids?" She says

"What about 'em?" The image of Samantha Carter, belly full with his baby enters his mind. It makes his toes tingle.

"Do I take maternity leave and then come back? Do I drop the baby off at daycare on my way to some unexplored planet on the edge of the crab nebula?"

"Carter, there are people on this base who have families."

"What about you? , she asks. "If things had been different…"

He stops her on her tracks. "I wouldn't be here."

"What does that mean?" She asks

"If things were different, I wouldn't be here, with you, in my direct chain of command. Things could be so much better, easier. It could be different between... But I'm not and they're not either."

" I could request a transfer." She says, quietly

"They'd never let you go."

"But..."

"But nothing. Go home Carter" he says "It's late", and with that, he's gone.

He knows he should have said something months ago. But there was always something to do, some catastrophe that only he could solve, always "I'll do it tomorrow". But tomorrow never came. And when she said yes to the cop, his world ended. And then there was Kerry. Fiery Kerry with the huge smile and great... personality. And he could have Kerry, hold her hand in public, take her to dinner whenever he wanted. They were good together. Really good. But he didn't want Kerry, not the way he wanted Sam. And Kerry knew, bowed out gracefully. Even proffered advice on the subject. "Retire". If only it were that simple.

But now Kerry is gone, Jacob is dead, and everything is hinging on the 4 words 'Dad' whispered in his ear on his death bed. "She loves you son".

He closes the truck door, and walks up her driveway.

She's been caught up in an emergency with SG3 for most of the previous 72 hours, so she's startled when she hears the loud bang on her door at 8pm on a Thursday. More than a little surprised when she opens her door and sees Jack standing on her porch, hands scrubbing his shadowed chin. "Nice dress" he comments. Ever the gentleman. He doesn't wait for an invitation, and she steps back to allow him into the entrance hall. He closes the door slowly behind himself before turning to face her.

"Sir, I ..."

He lifts his hand in front of his face and closes his eyes in an attempt to quieten her, so he can say what he's come to say.

"I don't know what you wanted me to say in your lab all those months ago Carter. Why did you show that ring to me ? Do you understand how shit this whole fucked up situation made me feel? Did you want me to beg you not to marry him? Is that it? "

"No, I just ..."

"You just wanted to see my reaction?"

"Yes"

"And?

"And I ..."

He looks past her and sees the box on the side table.

"Do you want me to tell you that I'd marry you if I could? That I love you more than I've loved anyone in a long time? That you're the only woman since Sarah that I've wanted to be with? That seeing you is the best part of my day? Because I can tell you all of that, but it doesn't change anything Carter."

"Sir..."

"I'm being transferred" he says calmly. "Washington, Hammonds retiring and they want me to take his position in Homeworld. I can't go without telling you, asking you really. Are you happy? Does he make you happy? And I mean really happy Carter. Not just happy-ish."

"He, uh"

"If you can tell me he makes you truly happy, I'll turn around, walk away right now and put it all down to misunderstanding"

"Petes gone back to Denver. For good."

"What, when?"

"Sunday, I couldn't pretend anymore. The house, the picket fence, the imaginary dog, it was all too much. It wasn't me and my Dad told me not to settle. That I can have the things that makes me happy. That I deserve some 'great love' in my life, like him and my mom."

She shrugs her shoulders.

"He was a smart guy, Jacob." Jack says, almost to himself.

Unbeknownst to them, he's been moving closer to her and when he takes the last step, her butt hits the wall and she can go no further. He's inches away, his hands on the wall on either side of her face, in her personal space, emotions laid bare, and almost unconsciously, she reaches out for him, grasps a handful of cotton on his belly and twists her hand. His eyes close and a sound escapes from deep inside him. Her eyes drop to his lips and back up, she whispers "Jack" and he's done for.

"I'm going to kiss you now", he whispers. "If you want me to stop, you have about 5 seconds..."

She shakes her head, licks her lips, pulls at his tee shirt, leans forward and up on her tip toes and gently brushes her lips against his. They're soft and warm and he can't help but melt into her. "This", he thinks, "this is what it's all about." His tongue traces her bottom lip, and she opens her mouth to him. He explores her, she's warm, inviting and eager. Her hands run underneath the brushed cotton of his tee shirt and he knows exactly where this is going. His shirt is ruched up under his arms and her nails are scraping down his chest, towards his pants. His body reacts...fuck, does it react. "Attention"

He moves his hands to her face, her back, her ass, the tops of her thighs, and lifts her, her legs instinctively wrapping around his waist, her bare feet hooking together behind him. He toes off his shoes and kicks them knees cry out to him but he ignores it, figures he will deal with the repercussions of his decisions, all of them, tomorrow. He can feel the heat between her legs pressed against him, his tongue still in her mouth, and that's enough to make him forget about everything but her.

"Bedroom," she mumbles into his mouth and he turns left and walks them back towards her sanctuary. She's rolling her hips against him, making sounds he's never heard from her, and he's fully sure that he could come like this, but he wants to sink inside her too badly to finish this so soon. "Don't fail me now" he pleads with himself.

He fumbles behind her and manages to open the door and they burst through, her legs are still wrapped around his waist, her breasts pressed against his chest. She's kissing his neck, nibbling at his earlobe and he's trying his very hardest not to come because the sensations she's causing are making him lose all coherency.

She untangles herself from his arms, confidently reaches down, gathers the hem of her dress in her hands and in one move lifts it over her head, letting it drop by her feet. She isn't wearing a bra, so she is practically naked standing in front of him, a blank canvas of alabaster skin, ready for him to draw out every fantasy he's ever had of her.

"Your turn" she says, and her eyes move down his body, focusing momentarily on his waist. He pops his button with one hand and lowers his zipper, releasing himself. He's hard and ready but spits into his hand and strokes himself twice for good measure, never losing eye contact with her and she visually gulps. He pushes his pants and boxers down his tanned legs and steps out of them, the returns his hand to his cock, stroking languidly.

"And now yours again" he says, and winks, enjoying this game thoroughly, and she bends, dangerously close to his cock, pushes her panties down her legs and steps out of them.

He pulls his tee shirt over his head, and says, "I'm definitely gonna need you on that bed, now". He has never seen her follow an order so fast, and moves back until she is comfortably propped against the large headboard. He crawls towards her, takes a moment to admire her, laid out before him, her pale skin punctuated only by the dark skin of her areolas and the small patch of dark blonde curls at her centre. Her legs open as he reaches her and he settles between them, leans forward and kisses her lips, her neck, her collar bone until he reaches her breasts. He has long wanted to be in this very position, so he savours it, kissing around the outline of one breast, then the other, paying careful attention to the sounds she's making, and the pressure of her fingers in his hair. Her nipples are dark and puckered and the sound she makes when he finally takes one fully into his mouth and sucks hard, is something ethereal. He cups her other breast in his hand and softly twists her nipple, careful not to play favourites, while he applies gentle pressure on the nipple in his mouth. He's always cautious with a new partner, about what they like and don't like, but whatever he's doing, he's doing right, because Samantha Carter is moaning and writhing beneath him, her hand holding his mouth to her.

He moves, kisses back up her body, across her jaw and enters her as he reaches her lips, slowly, but as deep as he can. "Oh God" she says, and then makes a sound he can't quite describe, but he knows he will never forget as long as he lives. He remains still for a moment, then slowly pulls back out and pushes in as deep as he can again. The sensation is enough to make him come but he closes his eyes and kisses her again.

"Jesus Jack" she says into his lips and then gasps as he reaches up and grasps the top of the headboard, bringing his body as close to her as he can. Using the headboard as leverage, he begins to thrust hard and she jerks below him, and cries out, the sudden change in pressure almost too much. Her hands are on his thighs, almost pulling him towards her and she's close, he can see it in her face, hear it in her ragged breathing. She lifts her hand to his mouth and he sucks her middle and index fingers when she places them on his lips, then lowers her hand between her legs, and starts to rub small circles. She moans.

Samantha Carter under him, her fingers between her legs and his glistening cock slide in and out of her is a sight he never thought he's see. He holds the very top of her inner thighs, almost holding her open to him and rolls his hips and that's it, right there. That's the sweet spot. She moans loudly and gasps "again,", and he obliges. She comes, suddenly and with a ferocity he wasn't expecting, and judging by her face, one she wasn't either. Her legs instinctively move to close a touch but he holds them in place, his rhythm slowly increasing, allowing her to ride out the waves of her orgasm, and, in truth, riding them out himself.

Her body relaxes under him and he leans down, crowds her. She whispers "come for me" and kisses him, long and hard. He continues to roll his hips, his pace slow and steady, wanting to come just like this, with Sam Carter completely wrapped around him, her tongue duelling with his. There is no need to rush his pleasure.

He thrusts once more into her, as hard and as deep as he can, and holds this position, while she holds him to her. He falls over the edge, calling for her, repeatedly, calling for God and then throws in a few expletives for good measure. It's ecstasy and euphoria and everything in between.

He looks at her, expecting to see shock, awkwardness, even, possibly, regret, but he sees contentment, then excitement as she smiles wide.

"I KNOW" she exclaims. "Better than I ever thought."

"What ...you...?" he says, speech returning to his almost addled brain.

"Of course!" she says, giggling. There's that sound again, he will never tire of it. "For years now. Haven't you?"

"Only every day for the last 5 years. Ever since that fucking force shield."

"Yeah, we've blown the door on that room wide open now, haven't we?"

He moves to settle beside her.

"I think we blew the door off its hinges. It's all good. I'll call maintenance."

Hey Carter", he says, kissing her shoulder . "Wanna go steady?"

She laughs, turning to face him and raises an eyebrow. "Long distance relationship? I can do that", she answers, and kisses him again.

*Some dialogue taken directly from the show, and added to.*


End file.
